Annapurna Circuit Trek

After breakfast, we embark on a guided tour to explore some of Kathmandu's significant and spiritual sites, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. We visit the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the well-known 'Monkey Temple' (Swayambhunath), and the large Buddhist stupa (Bouddhanath). Around noon, we have our equipment checked by our climbing leader, meet our fellow participants, and discuss our trip at AAN’s office. We'll spend the night in Kathmandu.

We begin our journey into the hills, following a winding road alongside the Trishuli River. Along the way, we'll admire terraced farms and charming huts. Once we reach a junction at Mugling, we continue straight towards Pokhara. At Dumre, we diverge from the previous path and head north to Besisahar. The journey from Kathmandu to Besisahar covers approximately 173 km on a well-paved road. From Besisahar, the road becomes rough for about 65 km, which takes roughly 4 hours. Along the way, we'll pass through small villages like Khudi, Bulbule, Syange, Jagat, Tal, and Dharapani. We'll spend the night in Chame.

After breakfast, we walk through a thick forest that leads us to a striking curved rock wall towering 1,500 meters above the river below. Our path takes us to Bhratang Village, renowned for its apple orchards. We then navigate a steep trail in the Marshyangdi Valley, eventually arriving at Paungda Danda, an enormous sloping rock face that soars more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) above the trail. Beyond this rocky section, the valley opens up, revealing magnificent views at Dhukur Pokhari. We continue trekking for a while until we reach Pisang, where we'll spend the night.

The trek from lower Pisang to upper Pisang is a bit steep, but it rewards us with fantastic views. Afterward, we follow a pleasant and straightforward path from upper Pisang, passing a mani wall and crossing a suspension bridge to arrive at Ghyaru Village. From here, the trail gently descends until we reach Ngawal, which is a larger and lively village. We'll take a short break at a beautiful monastery in the heart of the village before heading to our hotel located in the town center, next to the large monastery. We'll spend the night in Ngawal.

Early in the morning, we leave Ngawal and descend via a steep trail that takes us down to the valley floor. The scenery changes rapidly as we make our way towards Humde. In approximately two hours, we reach Humde and take a short break. From Humde, we continue walking towards Braka without encountering any steep uphill or downhill sections, just a few potholes. After a brief stop in Braka, we follow the way to Manang, which is an easy route. The landscape around the valley is breathtaking, with snow-capped peaks all around us. Manang is bustling with activity and people, making it quite an energetic town. We'll spend the night in Manang.

Today, to ensure we stay in fine fettle for the upcoming trek, we stay active by taking a short hike to either Bhojo Gumba or Gangapurna Lake. If we're feeling energetic, we can even hike to Vraga Village, where we can visit the Himalayan Rescue Association and learn about Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). We'll spend the night in Manang.

Today, we depart from Manang village, crossing a stream and ascending to Tenki village. We continue our climb out of the Marshyangdi Valley, heading northwest along the Jarsang Khola valley. Along the way, we pass through a few pastures and a juniper tree-covered area. The trail then leads to the small village of Ghunsa, characterized by flat mud roofs just below the trail. After crossing a small river via a wooden bridge and passing through meadows and an ancient Mani wall, we arrive at Yak Kharka. We'll spend the night in Yak Kharka.

Today's journey takes us uphill to Thorang Phedi. As we hike, we come across a suspension bridge and reach Ledar village. We continue to climb, passing through towering cliffs before reaching Thorang Phedi, the last village before the Thorong La pass. Along the way, we're treated to some of the finest views of mountains like Mt. Gundang, Mt. Syagang, Thorung Peak, and Mt. Khatungkan. In Nepali, "Phedi" means the foot of a mountain. We'll spend the night in Thorong Phedi.

Our main goal today is to cross Thorong La Pass, one of the world's highest passes. We'll be crossing the pass from east to west, which is considered the easiest and safest direction (from Manang to Muktinath). We start our day around 3 AM and begin the ascent. Upon reaching the summit, we'll be rewarded with breathtaking views, and it'll all feel worthwhile. We can capture a few photos before making our way down to the Muktinath Valley at the base of Thorong La Pass. We'll spend the night in Muktinath.

We'll hop onto a 4WD private vehicle in Muktinath, stop by Marpha village and after a 3-hour drive, we'll arrive in Tatopani. Once in Tatopani, we can unwind in our lodge or take a soak in the hot springs to relax our muscles. We'll spend the night in Tatopani.

We depart from the Kali Gandaki River and ascend the Ghar Khola valley. The trail takes us through terraced farmlands surrounded by mountains. We pass through the villages of Shikha and Chitre before entering a stunning rhododendron forest. When these rhododendron trees bloom, they are covered in pink or red flowers, adding to the beauty. Continuing our walk, we reach Ghorepani, a charming village located in the high edge. We'll spend the night in Ghorepani.

Today, we woke up early to see the sunrise over the Himalayas. We climbed a steep trail to Poon Hill (3,210m/10,529ft), a famous spot for trekkers in the Annapurna region. From there, we enjoyed breathtaking views of the Himalayas, including the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, as well as Mustang and Pokhara. The morning light made the snow-covered peaks look even more majestic. After capturing moments, we returned to Ghorepani for breakfast.

We continued our journey by heading east and climbing a nearby ridge. We descended through beautiful rhododendron forests, passed impressive waterfalls, and finally reached Tadapani, where we spent the night.

We leave Tadapani and descend steeply through a dense, dark forest. This part of the trek is particularly beautiful when the rhododendron trees are in bloom, turning the forest into enchanting gardens. Depending on the season, we might also see cherry blossoms on the slopes across the ravine in the afternoon.

After trekking for a while, we arrive at Ghandruk, a village nestled on a slope predominantly inhabited by the Gurung people. Here, we enjoy stunning, close-up views of the majestic Fishtail, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli mountains.

Enjoying breakfast in Ghandruk, we will hop into our private vehicle for a roughly two-hour drive to Pokhara. Upon reaching Pokhara, we will check into our hotel and take some time to relax. In the afternoon, we will set out on a half-day sightseeing tour of Pokhara. We will spend the night in Pokhara.

Breakfast in hotel, we bid farewell to the scenic city of Pokhara and take a flight to Kathmandu. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, we'll check into our hotel and take some time to unwind. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy leisurely activities, perhaps some last-minute shopping, or exploring any landmarks you haven't seen yet. In the evening, AAN will host a farewell dinner to celebrate the successful completion of our journey. We will spend the night in Kathmandu.

Today marks the end of our adventure in Nepal! A representative from AAN will accompany us to the airport about 3 hours before our flight. If we want to extend our stay in Nepal, we can ask AAN to arrange more adventurous activities for a few extra days, or we fly back to our home country with plenty of cherished memories!